1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a toilet system including a toilet bowl and a site-adaptable shroud for closing the space between the back of the toilet and a wall and floor behind the toilet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ligature-resistant design is a requirement in many institutional locations. In particular, in rooms where persons may be left unattended and where there is a risk that parts of the toilet or toilet plumbing might be used as a support to tie a ligature, such as a belt, rope or a cloth, a way to ensure that the toilet or plumbing cannot be used in such a manner is desirable. In general, ligature-resistant design is an issue that extends to the floor, since ligature attachment may occur near the floor and then the ligature may extend over another object.
Further, in other installations, shrouding the back of the toilet and plumbing is desirable to prevent possible damage to or removal of the plumbing fixtures themselves or it may be desirable to shroud the plumbing fixtures so that cleaning is simplified.
Existing shrouds for covering toilet plumbing are typically fabricated from stainless steel, for durability and anti-corrosion purposes. Each shroud is typically fabricated as a custom assembly for each installation, and each location in which the shrouds are installed may require multiple designs, since the location of wall studs and other structural features typically causes variation in the exact plumbing details for each fixture. More recently, an adjustable plastic shroud has been developed as described in U.S. Published Patent Application US20110174392A1, which is assigned to the Applicant. However, ligature attachment points may still be provided between the toilet and the shroud, since a belt, strap or other article can be inserted in gaps that exist between the shroud and the toilet, the shroud and the floor and between the shroud and the wall.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a toilet system that can be installed in a variation of toilet plumbing configurations and that prevents ligature formation.